


Teen Years

by Thefemalearrow



Series: Parenthood [2]
Category: Love Simon (2018), Love Victor (TV 2020), Simonverse | Creekwood Series - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - No Emails (Simonverse), Cancer, Canon Gay Relationship, Coming Out, Eventual Happy Ending, Family Drama, Friendship, Love Triangles, Married Couple, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Family Member, Sick Character, Slow Burn, Victor Salazar is Simon Spier's biological child, freshmen year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 9,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27157435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefemalearrow/pseuds/Thefemalearrow
Summary: Victor Spier is ready to start high school with his friends. He went in not knowing what to expect. He figured he'd eventually began officially dating his childhood friend, but things get complicated when a new boy arrives at school. This, along with some shocking news and a surprising Facebook messages, makes Victor realize his life will never be the same.
Relationships: Benjamin "Benji" Campbell/Victor Salazar, Bram Greenfeld & Victor Salazar, Bram Greenfeld/Simon Spier, Ivy (Love Victor) & Victor Salazar, Lake Meriwether & Victor Salazar, Mia Brooks & Lake Meriwether, Mia Brooks/Andrew Spencer (mentioned), Mia Brooks/Victor Salazar, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Victor Salazar & Felix Weston, Victor Salazar & Nora Spier, Victor Salazar & Simon Spier
Series: Parenthood [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982285
Comments: 30
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to make a sequel to 'Parenthood' but I never had a good idea. But I eventually got an idea, and I couldn't wait to start writing. This cuts to when Victor is about to enter high school and follows him, but the characters from 'Parenthood' will still make appearances in this, and play big roles. Now on with the chapter!

Victor stared at his board of memories. It had photos from the past six years of his life. It was full of small and big memories, from his dads' wedding to his eighth-grade trip to Washington D.C. Now that he was entering high school, he knew he would need a bigger board.

Simon knocked on the door. "Come in," Victor called out. Simon opened the door.

"Family meeting," he said. They walked to the living room, where Bram was already waiting for them. He was sitting in one of the armchairs around the TV. Victor and Simon sat on the couch.

"So do you guys want to talk about?" Victor asked.

"We have something we want to talk about with you," Bram said. "It's pretty big, and you don't have to answer this question tonight. Me and your father have been talking about something for a few months, and we figured now would be a good time for us to bring it up."

Bram grabbed something from his chair. He handed Victor an envelope, and Victor swiftly opened it. It didn't take him long to figure out what was inside. "Adoption papers?" Victor asked.

"I love you, Victor," Bram said. "I never saw you as my stepson. I just saw you as my son. So, I was wondering if you would allow me to officially adopt you."

Tears of joy began to stream down Victor's face. Bram walked over to Victor, and they threw their arms around each other. Victor nuzzled into Bram's shoulder. "Yes," Victor said. "I would love it if you adopted me."

Simon joined the hug and they stayed like that for a few minutes. "It will take a few weeks for it to become official, but it will be worth it in the end," Bram said. Victor nods as they pulled away.

"I'm going to go to bed," Victor announced. Simon and Bram allow him to go to his room. Once the door was shut, they figured it was safe.

"You need to tell him soon," Bram whispered.

"I will, I just thought tonight wasn't a good time," Simon whispered. "I wanted tonight to be a joyous occasion, and I didn't want to ruin the mood."

"I understand, but we need to tell him before he figures out in another way," Bram said. Simon nods as Bram pressed a kiss into his cheek. Bram put on some reality TV show, and they cuddled for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

Victor got ready for school as normal the next day. He noticed that his dad had slept through the entire process. He found it odd since he was pretty sure that his dad had work that day. He usually woke up when Bram did, but he was already at work. Victor contemplated waking him, but Bram told him not to since he was feeling under the weather.

There was then a knock on the door, and Victor opened the door. Felix Weston was standing on the other side of the door. Felix always took an early bus to his building so they could ride to school together. Felix's apartment was about thirty minutes away, but Felix always insisted on riding the bus with him. Victor found it weird that Felix never let him to him over to his apartment.

"Ready to leave?" Felix asked.

"Yeah," Victor said. He grabbed his bookbag and they began to talk. Felix went on about the last weekend of his summer. He spent most of the weekend playing videogames. He stopped talking once they arrived at the bus stop. "Bram asked if he could adopt me last night."

"Really?" Felix exclaimed. Victor nodded as they sat down on a bench. "That's awesome! Wait, is this supposed to be awesome? Are you happy about this, or did you say no and have a big emotional argument with them."

"It's a very good thing," Victor said. "I accepted his offer."

"That's great," Felix said. The bus then pulled up, and they climbed aboard. Their other friends, Mia and Lake, were already sitting together. Victor and Mia made eye contact for a brief moment, and they smiled at each other. They sat down near the back of the bus. "So, when are you going to ask Mia out?"

"I think I'm going to when we arrive at the school," Victor said. It was obvious that Mia and Victor had feelings for each other. Their texts had become a lot more flirtatious, even in the group chat. Felix and Lake had definitely picked up on it by this point. "When are you going to ask Lake out?"

"I've been trying since seventh grade," Felix said. "She's ok with people knowing we're friends, but she thinks it would be social suicide if we became an official couple."

"What do you mean official couple?" Victor asked.

"We may have shared a few kisses this summer," Felix confessed. "We actually hung out a few times without you and Mia. We played board games and watched films on Netflix. She literally said, 'If you weren't so you, I could totally see us being a couple.'"

"If she's going to say stuff like that, then she doesn't deserve you," Victor said.

"But I don't want to give up on her just yet," Felix said. "This summer we really connected. I'm taking it one day at a time.

The bus then arrived at school. They climbed off the bus and met up with the girls. After they greeted each other, Victor pulled Mia aside. "So I was wondering if you wanted to go to this art gallery with me Friday," Victor offered. "My dad recently wrote a review on it, and he said it was good. I was thinking we could grab dinner beforehand."

"I would love to do that," Mia said.

"Great, pick you up at seven?" Felix asked.

"It's a date," Mia said.  
\---  
The next time the entire group was together was during lunch. Victor was looking through Facebook when he got a mysterious DM from a lady named Veronica Salazar. He opened it.

Veronica: Dear Victor. I'm reaching out because I think we might be related.

Victor: Who are you and why do you think we're related?

Veronica: I'm Veronica Salazar, and I live in Creekwood, Georgia. Also, I think you might be my nephew. I recognize your father as my dead sister's old boyfriend. Next time you're in Creekwood I would love to meet up. I know I've been absent for the first fifteen years of your life, but I would love to meet you now since you're the last thing I might have to remind me of her.


	3. Chapter 3

Victor didn't go straight home after school. Instead, he went to his aunt Ivy's house. He needed to talk to someone about the message he got during lunch, and, while his dad seemed to be opposed to talking about Victor's mom, he saw how talking about her hurt him. Ivy was also like a cool older sister to him, so he always came to her with this kind of problem.

When he made his way to the apartment, he saw that Penny, Ivy's girlfriend, was caring out her box. "This is the last one," Penny called out.

"Good, now I never want to see your face again," Ivy shouted. Penny stared at Victor with a defeated look. Even though Penny and Ivy had been dating for years, they barely knew each other. Most of the information he knew about her was from Ivy. It depended on the day on whether the information was flattering or not.

Once Penny was on the elevator, Victor entered the apartment. Ivy was standing in the kitchen, making some vegetarian chili. "Did you guys have another breakup?" Victor asked.

"Yeah, but this time we're over for good," Ivy stated. "I found out she's been cheating on me with her boss for months, and now she's pregnant. She just told me, and now she's going to stay with her sister because I kicked her out."

"That's horrible," Victor said.

"Eh, our relationship has been going downhill for a while," Ivy shrugged. "One of us was bound to cheat. Sorry for unloading all of this on you. How was your first day of school? Did you ask out that Mia girl?"

"Yeah, we're going out this Friday," Victor said.

"Awesome," Ivy said. "I'm glad that one of us is having a successful love life."

"I'm excited about it," Victor said. "But that's not what I've come over about. I got a Facebook message earlier during lunch. It was from a girl named Veronica Salazar. She claimed to be my mom's sister."

"That's something," Ivy said, shocked.

"I don't know whether I should believe her," Victor said. "This could be a trick. But I've always wanted to learn more about her, and I can see bringing her up hurts my dad. This could be the perfect chance."

"Do you know anything about her family?" Ivy asked.

"I know that they threw her out after they found out she was pregnant," Victor explained. "She tried multiple times to reach out while she was pregnant, but they weren't receptive. I think only her dad and one other family member showed up to the funeral."

"I think you should talk to your dads about this," Ivy said. "Make sure she's actually your aunt. And, if she is, talk to him about next time your in Creekwood meeting up for coffee or something."

"Thanks, aunt Ivy," Victor said.

"No problem," Ivy stated. "I mostly work from home, so you can come over whenever you need to talk."

"Thanks for that," Victor said. He then slipped on his black bag and walked to the door. "By the way, Penny is a loser for cheating on you."

With that, Victor left the apartment. He bought a bus ticket and that took him to his end of town. He turned on his phone and saw that neither of his dads had responded to his text. He figured they were both busy with work.

Once he arrived at the apartment building, he went straight to his apartment. Once he walked inside, he saw all of the lights were off, except the bathroom connected to the master suite. "I'm home," Victor called out. There wasn't a sound, even though his dad, Simon, was always home by this time.

He went to the bedroom. "Hello?" he asked. He then turned to the bathroom and saw his father lying lifeless on the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are going to probably hate me after this chapter. It's ok. I'm used to being hated. I just would like to thank you guys for checking out my story. Now, on with the chapter!

Victor bounced his left leg as he waited for the doctor. He had tried to contact Bram, but he hadn't picked up the phone yet. He had gotten a few messages from Veronica, but he already decided he wouldn't respond until he talked to his dads.

The doctor then exited the room. "Are you here for Spier?" The doctor asked.

"Yes," Victor said.

"He became too stressed," the doctor said. "He probably just needs a few days of bed rest."

"Overworked?" Victor questioned. He didn't seem to be overworked lately. If anything, his father seemed a little more laid back. The doctor's look quickly turned from professional to a sympathetic one.

"I'm guessing your dad or his spouse haven't told you yet," the doctor said. Victor always hated it when someone called Bram "his father's spouse" or something like that. Bram was just as much his family as his bio dad(as Lake puts it).

"I don't know if I should tell you, but I think you should know," the doctor said. "He was brought in about a week ago for a normal examination, but we discovered a cancerous cell in his pancreas. It's gotten worse since the last time we checked."

He read the look on Victor's face. "I should give you some time to process this," he said. "The door is opened if you want to visit your dad. He should wake up soon, but he still needs to rest a bit."

The doctor walked off, and Victor entered the hospital room. Simon was sitting up in his bed. Victor pulled up a chair and sat down. Simon read Victor's face, and he could tell that he knew. "When were you planning on telling me?" Victor asked.

"I was planning on telling you once you were settled into high school," Simon said. "The original plan was going to tell you when we presented you with the adoption papers, but I didn't want to ruin what was supposed to be a joyous occasion."

"The doctors said it has gotten worse," Victor said.

"I know," Simon said. "I'm going to start chemo soon. They hope that they caught it in time."

"And what if it doesn't work?" Victor asked.

"That's one of the reasons we decided to bring up the adoption thing now," Simon explained. "We've been talking about it for a while, but this now just solidified that we should bring it up sooner rather than later. If something happens, I'd want you to stay with him instead of being thrown in a home."

Victor leaned in and hugged his dad. Simon rubbed his back as Victor cried into the gown. They stayed like that for a few hours, unprepared for the storm that was coming.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt bad about the last chapter, so I decided to something I hope will make up for it. In this chapter, Benji is finally going to be introduced. I was going to wait a few more chapters, but I decided to go ahead and do it. I hope you guys enjoy 'Teen Years' chapter five!

Victor always hated being in the apartment by himself when it was dark out. He was used to being by himself for a few hours while he waited for his dads to get off work, but when it was dark out the silence was suffocating. Bram had already left for work, and Simon was still going to be in the hospital till the next day's afternoon.

After he ate breakfast, the silence and darkness had become too much. So he sent Felix a text, saying he would pick him up from his apartment today. There was a bus going to his end of town that was leaving in ten minutes. He had learned from Felix that the commute to school from his place was half an hour, so he had to get to his apartment early.

He walked to the bus station and waited for his bus to arrive. The bus arrived about ten minutes later. He showed the driver his ticket and then sat down near the front of the bus. A man sat beside him right before the bus left.

Once the bus arrived at his stop, he walked off the bus groggily. He didn't sleep well the last night because of the events of the previous day. He slowly made his way to the elevator and clicked the button for Felix's floor. He had only seen the outside of his apartment once, but he remembered it well.

Victor knocked on the door. Felix opened the door, but only enough were Victor could only see Felix. "Vic, what are you doing here?" Felix asked. "I was about to head to your place so we can ride to school together."

"I decided I'd come to pick you up for a change," Victor said. "My dads aren't in the apartment this morning, and I got lonely. Are you almost ready?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my bag," Felix said. He shut the door and Victor waited for him. Once he had his bookbag, they started to head out of the building. "Why didn't you respond to my texts yesterday? Me, Mia, and Lake went to that Brasstown Coffee Shop and played Among Us."

"I'm sorry for not responding to your texts," Victor apologized. "Yesterday was pretty hectic for me."

"What happened?" Felix asked. A part of Victor wanted to air out all of his problems to Felix. It would be nice to have a shoulder to lean on and get a classic Felix Weston hug. On the other hand, but he didn't want to worry Felix with his problems.

"I'm not ready to talk about it," Victor said, before biting the inside of his cheek. They then climbed aboard the school bus and sat near the back. The sun was about halfway up by this point.

"I heard a new boy is transferring to our school today," Felix said.

"Is it really a new kid if it's the second day of school?" Victor asked

"Yeah, but my uncle works for the school," Felix explained. "He was enrolled only yesterday."

Victor nods and leans his head against the window. The bus starts to move as Victor drifts off into slumber.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Felix saw the new boy for the first time during lunch. He was sitting with Derek, a junior who was known for being kinda a douche. "That's Benjamin Campbell," Felix whispered. "But he's telling everyone to call him Benji."

Victor nods and decides to introduce himself. He walks over, but when he's in front of him, he becomes tongue twisted. "Can I help you?" Benji said.

"I just wanted to say welcome to the school, and I'm Victor Spier," he said. He then quickly walked back over to his table.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I appreciate it. I remember when I posted the idea for this AU, thinking that no one would like it, but you guys are so supportive. Now on with the chapter :).

Victor went straight home after school. His apartment was still empty, but Bram was going to come home in a few hours. He went to his room and started work on his homework. He didn't have much because it was only the second day of school. He only had a little bit of Algebra to do.

Once he was done, his phone vibrated. He had a text from Simon.

Simon: Hey, Vic. How was school?

Victor: School was fine. Do you mind if I visit you at the hospital for a while? I have somethings I need to talk to talk to you about.

Simon: Of course. Just let Bram know what you're doing.

Victor sent Bram a text, letting him know he was going to head to the hospital. He left a note on the fridge as well just in case he didn't see the text. He walked to the front of the building and waved down a taxi. He climbed inside and gave the driver the address.

He arrived at the hospital about five minutes later. He gave him twenty dollars before climbing out of the car. He walked inside the hospital and walked to the elevator. He pressed the button for the second floor. Once he was out of the elevator, he went straight to his dad's room.

He looked to be doing slightly better than yesterday. He was sitting fully up, and the news was playing on the TV, but it was on mute. "Hey dad," Victor said, sitting down.

"Hey Vic," Simon said. "How has school been going? I heard you asked out Mia."

"I did, we're going to that art gallery that Pop recently reviewed tomorrow night," Victor said. He debated on telling him about Benji, but he didn't figure he knew Benji well enough yet to talk about him with his dads.

"That sounds great," Simon said. "Has anything else happened?"

"Actually something pretty big has also happened," Victor said. "I got a Facebook message from someone named Veronica Salazar. She says that she's my aunt from my mom's side."

"Your mom did have a sister with that name," Simon said.

"I think she wants to meet me," Victor said.

"If you want to meet her, go ahead," Simon said. "I tried to protect you from that side of the family since they threw your mom out. But if they're reaching out, I support you going and meeting them. Maybe you can go get coffee with them next time we're in Creekwood."

"Thanks, Dad," Victor said. They then talk for a few hours about just whatever came to his mind. Victor got a notification on Facebook, saying someone named "Benji_Campbell" had sent him a friend request. Victor accepted it and went back to talking to his dad.

There was a knock on the door. They turned around and saw Bram standing in the doorway. "Hello," he said. "I saw you're text and decided to swing by. I brought you guys dinner."

"Thanks, babe," Simon said. Bram sat down and kissed his husband on the cheek. He had gotten cookout and gave them their meals. They talked for a few hours before Bram and Victor went home.


	7. Chapter 7

Victor got ready for the date. He put on a nice shirt, jeans, and black sneakers. These weren't the same kind he would wear to school. These were for events that were nicer than school but not fancy enough for dress shoes. Besides, they would have to do a lot of walking. He would need something comfortable to walk around in.

He then left the apartment and went to Mia's. She lived in a building near his, so it wasn't even a five-minute walk. He walked up the stairs until he was on the floor Mia lived on. She came from a pretty wealthy family, and her dad often did work overseas so she was home alone a weekend or two a month.

He knocked on the door, and Mia quickly opened it. She was wearing a medium length dark blue dress, black leggings that stopped at her knees, and black sandals. "You look nice," Victor said.

"Thank you," she said. "You look good as well."

He then took her arm and led her out of the building. He took her to the cab, and they climbed inside. Victor gave the driver the address for the pizza parlor. "Have you ever been to Danny's?" Victor asked.

"No, I don't think I have," she said.

"Then you're in for a treat," Victor said. They arrived at the pizza place about five minutes later. It was a medium-sized hole in the wall type place. The left and right walls were lined with booths, and the walls were a shade of light yellow.

They ordered a pepperoni pizza, and they filled up their cups with sodas. They sat at a booth and began to talk about school. The door on the bell rang, and Victor looked up to see Benji and Derek enter the restaurant.

Their food came, and they began to eat. Their conversation continued. He learned that Mia had joined the yearbook committee at the high school. She had been apart of the committee in middle school.

He whipped some pizza sauce from his mouth, and he saw Benji and Derek's table. He noticed that they were holding hands on top of the table. Victor shouldn't have felt jealous because he had Mia and he really enjoyed hanging out with her. That didn't stop the feeling of jealousy that crept up his spine.

Victor paid for their meal, and they left. The gallery was about a five-minute walk from the restaurant, so they decided to just walk. Mia went for his hand, and, after a moment, Victor took it. "Is this ok?" Mia asked.

"It is," Victor said. They arrived at the art gallery, which had large windows and a modern interior. Vict or showed the man their tickets and they were allowed inside. They walked around. There was only one exhibit that was open that night.

They walked to one of the sculptures. It was of a dead raccoon. "That's morbid," Mia said.

"Maybe the next one will be better," Mia shrugged. They walked to the next exhibit, which was a dead deer. They quickly noticed that all of the sculptures were of dead things. They read a sign that said that this exhibit was about the 'Beauty of Death.'

"And this is why you don't just pay attention to the title and the stars of a review," Victor said, before biting his cheek. He had a sour forming there since he had bit his cheek a lot this week. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't the idle first date."

"It's ok," Mia said. "I've actually had a good time."

"Really?" Victor asked.

"Yeah," Mia said. "I would actually like to go on a second date."

"Same here," Victor said. They then walked out of the gallery and relocked their hands. Mia leaned her head on his shoulder. Victor kissed her forehead, and then Mia kissed him on the lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I know this book has a lot going on right now, but next chapter two of the storylines are going to merge. Goodbye, my friends! Have a great evening!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going down this chapter. So get some tea(or a beverage of your choice) ready because this chapter is going to be crazy.

The next two months were a mix of emotions for Victor. He and Mia had become an official couple, but his mind always drifted to Benji. Benji had become apart of his friend's group, but he was dating Derek. Though he knew he should be happy with Mia, apart of him will always want Benji.

His dad's health began to slowly detreat. The chemo was helping on the inside, but it made him unrecognizable. His hair was gone, and his body had become slimmer because the chemo caused him to throw up. His dad always tried to keep his spirits up, but Victor saw past the act.

Thanksgiving Break soon came along. Victor and his dads agreed to meet Veronica for coffee the day before Thanksgiving. They entered the Starbucks and saw Veronica sitting at one of the tables. She had short dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. They could tell that she was Becca's sister based on appearances alone.

"Victor, it's so good to finally meet you," Veronica said. She then took her nephew into her arms. Victor returned the hug awkwardly and patted her back. She pulled away after a few moments, and then she gave her attention to Simon. "Simon, it's great to see you again."

"Likewise," Simon said.

"I'm going to get us some coffee, and you guys can start talking," Bram said. They sat at the table while Bram got in line. Over the messages, he had discovered that Veronica was a midwife for Creekwood General Hospital.

"So how is school going?" Veronica asked.

"School is going great," Victor said.

"That's good to hear," Veronica said. She had been going back and forth between talking with Simon and Victor. She seemed to be ignoring Bram at all costs. "So have you been doing any dating lately? I'm sure girls are lining up at your door."

There was an awkward silence. She had seen Victor's Facebook, where there were plenty of photos of Simon and Bram being a cute couple. "Um, me and Bram are married," Simon said.

"We're actually in the middle of the process of me adopting Victor," Bram said.

"Isn't that taking things a little too far?" Veronica asked, without changing her tone of voice. "I mean, you guys can pretend to be a happy family, but isn't adopting a little too far? He already has a dad."

"But he's been raising me as his own since I was six," Victor said.

"But can he handle the pressure of you actually being his forever responsibility?" Veronica asked. "You know he only puts up with you because he wants to bang your dad, right?"

"Ok we're leaving," Bram said.

"No you're not," Veronica snapped. "I need you to know I'm going to stop this adoption at all cost because it's wrong. He's not your real family. He's not your flesh and blood. If something happened to you, Simon, would you want him to raise your kid instead of his actual family?"

"Excuse me?" Victor shouted. "Where was this attitude during the first fifteen years of my life? You can't be absent from my life and say stuff like that. You threw my mom out on the streets because she had me. You can't make any claims with me being your 'family.'"

He pointed at Bram. "This man has been more family to me than you've ever been," Victor shouted. "He treats me like I'm his actual kid and goes above and beyond. He made the choice to be in my life, and he doesn't care that we're not blood-related. To me, family goes deeper than blood."

Victor stormed out of the coffee shop. He went to the nearest wall and leaned against it. He sat down and hid his hands in his face. He couldn't believe he lost his cool like that. Violent tears began to stream down his face.

His hands were trembling, but in his emotional state, he called Benji.


	9. Chapter 9

Victor arrived in New York on Saturday. Benji had told Felix about the phonecall, so they all decided to meet at Mia's house. Apparently, Lake has a group bounding activity in mind. So he unpacked his bags and went to Mia's place.

Once he arrived, he was surprised to see Lake and Felix holding hands. "Hey Victor," Lake said.

"Hello," Victor said. "So when did that happen?"

"Wednesday," Felix said. "We even posted it on Facebook."

"I'm happy to for you guys," Victor said. They then entered the apartment, and they went to Mia's room. Benji was there, and they all sat around in a circle. They were sitting criss-cross on the floor. "So, Lake said something about a bonding exercise."

"Yes, this is something that they do sometimes at my mom's work," Lake explained. "It's called an emotion circle. It's where we sit around and talk about things that bother us. I feel like this would be a good thing for us to do. Who wants to start?"

The group was silent. Victor found it surprising how they've been friends for years, and they still don't know everything about each other. "How about you start, Victor," Lake said. "Since you're the one who inspired this meeting."

Victor then finally broke down and told them everything. About the Facebook DM, he got on the first day of school, his dad's illness, and what happened at the coffee shop before he called Benji. Mia reached for his hand and held it.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this Vic," Mia said. "And we're sorry that you've felt like telling would make you a burden. But we're here now if you need us now. Isn't that right?"

Everyone else nodded. After a few minutes, Felix was the next to share his emotions. "After my dad left us, my mom began to become attached to everything," Felix explained. "Our apartment is now filled with all of the items she's been hoarding things over the years. I can barely make it to my room anymore due to the mess."

"Is that why you never have us over at your apartment?" Victor asked. Felix nods.

"Things are getting a little better," Felix said. "My mom's new job comes with benefits so she's been seeing a therapist. For once, she seems open to the idea of sorting out everything and possibly sealing a lot of it. Going through it will probably take a month or two, though."

"Well just give me the day you guys plan to start, and I'll help," Victor offered.

"Thanks," Felix said. It was then Mia's turn to share.

"Do you guys remember my mom?" Mia asked.

"Not really," Felix said.

"Well, I've been hiding the real reason my parents celebrated," Mia explained. "My mom became addicted to drugs when I was younger. When I was seven, she left me and my dad. My dad never seemed to recover, and he brings home different girls from all of his business trips. I haven't opened up about this before because I feel like everyone wants me to fake a smile since it makes everyone feel better."

"You shouldn't have to hide what you feel inside," Benji said.

"I know, I just feel like it's easier for everyone if I did," Mia said.

"Sometimes things can't just be easy," Benji said.

"That was very nice Benji," Lake said. "Would you like to share?"

"No thanks," Benji said. "I barely know you guys. I'm really here because Victor seemed pretty upset over the phone. I don't know if I'm ready to air out all of my drama just yet."

Victor nods. "I've always been insecure because of my mom," Lake confessed. "And it's not just because everyone just knows me as her daughter. She is constantly putting my fashion choices down, and making me feel like I look like a troll."

"I was there one time she put her down like that," Felix said. "She gets quite rude."

"If it makes you feel better, I think you're pretty," Mia said.

"Thank you," Lake said. "I'd say this circle was a success?"

"I think I would agree with that," Victor said.

"You guys want to go play some Mario Kart?" Lake asked. They stood up from their spots and went to the game room. Victor felt relieved to finally tell his friends. He felt maybe, just maybe, things might start to look better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I got the idea for this chapter from a workshop I did with my drama group. I'm actually rehearsing for my first post-quarantine play. So if my updating schedule gets messed up, it's probably because of that.
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter! It's going to be quite a doozy.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to go ahead and apologize. This chapter is going to be a sad one. Happy late Halloween(Alexa, play the ending of 'Sexy' from Mean Girls the musical). I'm so sorry. This is a major plot point that has to be done. Now, on with the chapter.

It took two months for them to get a date set, but it was eventually the night before the court case. Victor blocked Veronica and believed she was out of his life for good. All they had to do now was sign some papers and say they accept the adoption in front of a judge.

They were sitting around the TV, watching 'Top Gun.' All three of them were half asleep. Victor's phone vibrated with a text from Benji, asking if he could come over the next day. He sent a reply, saying that they could hang out that evening.

"We're going to head to bed," Bram whispered.

"Ok," Victor said, Bram helped Simon to their bedroom. He had been informed that his condition had slowly gotten better, but the tumor was still there. They said that to might be gone by December in the treatment continued to do its thing.

Victor finished watching the movie and then went to his room. He climbed into his bed and turned off his lights. His dads were going to wake him up in the morning to get ready for the court hearing. He fell asleep shortly after laying on the bed.  
\---  
Victor woke up the next morning. It was eight-thirty, which meant he needed to be at the courthouse in under the next hour. He quickly stood up and sloppily got dressed. He ran the comb through his hair and did all of the things he had to do to get ready.

He went to the living room, where he saw Ivy was sitting on the couch. She had tears welling up in her eyes. "Aunt Ivy, what is going on?" Victor asked.

"Please take a seat," Ivy said. Victor did as told. "The cancer was worse than we expected. Sometime during the night, your father suffered a stroke. Bram rushed him to the hospital, trying not to wake you up. He was taken to the intensive care unit."

"The tumor has doubled in size since the last time they checked," Ivy explained. "They had to take him into surgery."

"How is he doing?" Victor asked. "Can I see him?"

"Victor," Ivy said. "He's gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter. This one was a hard one to right, but it had to be done. I love you guys, and thanking you for putting up with me. Goodbye for now my friends.


	11. Chapter 11

As the day went on, Victor needed to get out of the apartment. Bram had been out for most of the day, getting things ready for the funeral and other things. Ivy had reluctantly left Victor alone a few hours later. The loneliness was surfacing Victor, so he asked his friends to meet him at Brasstown Coffee shop.

By the time they arrived, his friends were already waiting for him. Their thoughts that this was going to be a joyous occasion to celebrate the adoption going through were quickly crushed when they saw his face. He didn't have to say anything before Felix engulfed him in a hug. "He's gone," Victor sobbed.

"Who is?" Lake asked.

"My dad," Victor said, choking back a sob.

"I thought you said he was slowly but surely getting better," Lake said, sympathetically.

"We thought so, but he has gotten worse since his last round of chemo," Victor said. "They said the tumor doubled in size, and he suffered a stroke last night. It was too late by the time he got to the hospital."

Felix and Victor then sat back down at the table. "I'm so sorry Victor," Mia said, taking her boyfriend's left hand in hers. "It's going to be ok."

"How do you know that?" Victor asked. "We never got a chance to make the adoption final, so technically my other dad no longer has a legal claim on me. My only other family lives in Georgia, so I'm either moving there or going into a home."

"I'm sure Bram will get things figured out," Mia said. "Have you talked to him today?"

"No, he hasn't been home since he left for the hospital in the middle of the night," Victor said. He couldn't really blame him for not wanting to be at the apartment. It didn't feel the same. It had a lonely feel to it, even when Ivy was there.

"Maybe he's getting that handled," Mia said.

"I think he's getting funeral arrangements and breaking the news to our friends and family," Victor said. He stayed at the coffee shop with his friends and Mia for a few hours. They played a little bit of Among Us, but no one's heart was really in it.

"I should probably head back," Victor said, slipping his phone into his back pocket. After he hugged his friends goodbye, he headed back to his apartment. When he went inside, he saw Bram was talking with Veronica.

"I'm going back to Creekwood tomorrow, and I'm taking my nephew with me," Veronica said. "I'm his actual family, so the court will rule in my favor. You no longer have a legal claim on him."

"You were absent from his life for fifteen years," Bram said, coldly. Victor could see how tired and sad his father was through the look in his eyes. "Why do you suddenly want to be apart of his life? What do you gain from this?"

"He's a Salazar," Veronica said. "My family looks after each other."

"Like how you looked after Becca when she found out she was pregnant?" Bram snapped.

"I was fourteen at the time," Veronica said, defensively. "I couldn't stick up to my parents like that."

It was then that they noticed that Victor was standing in the doorway. "I don't want to go back with you," Victor stated. "I want to stay here in New York with my actual family."

"Whatever, I will eventually get my way," Veronica said. Victor stepped out of the doorway so she could leave. Once she left, Bram engulfed Victor in a hug. Victor held him close. They stayed like that and cried for a while.

They eventually pulled away, and Bram put his hands on both sides of Victor's face. "Listen, Victor," Bram said. "I'm going to get the court date rescheduled, but it's going to have to take longer than initially planned. They're going to have to run a background check on me. You can't live here while they do that, so you're going to have to stay with Simon's parents in Creekwood for a while."

"I don't want to leave you," Victor said.

"I know, but it will only be temporary," Bram promised. "I already talked to Jack and Emily. They agreed to let you finish schooling here, and for me to adopt you. You'll just be gone for a month or two. You'll leave tomorrow."

He pulled Victor in for another hug. "Things are going to be ok," Bram whispered. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! For the next few chapters, I want to focus a little more on the other plot. I already know how both of them are going to end. I hope that you guys are satisfied with it. Goodbye for now!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I mentioned this in the latest chapter of my other story, but I decided I'm going to mention it in all my stories. I'm currently working on a Discord for you guys. We'll have chapter discussions, share fanart, I'll post teasers for upcoming chapters and stories, and so much more. I'll post more details as they come. Now, on with the chapter!

Benji, Bram, and Felix went to send Victor off the next day. They walked with him to the metal detectors. "So this is where we separate," Victor said. He stared at the metal detector for a moment before turning to his friends and family.

"You have your walkie-talkie, right?" Felix asked, referencing the gift he gave him for his tenth birthday.

"Yeah," Victor said. They then shared a brief hug before he walked off. Victor then turned to Bram, and they also shared a hug. "I'll call you a lot."

"I know you will," Bram said. "Listen, this situation is only temporary. I'm going to get the court case rescheduled. They'll see my record is squeaky clean and that they have no reason not to trust me. I'd trust Jack and Emily with my own life. You're their kin, so they'll take good care of you."

"Thanks, Dad," Victor said. Bram then walked away, leaving Benji and Victor alone.

"I have something to tell you, and I want to say it before you potentially leave forever," Benji said. "I'm not the best at expressing my emotion, but I want to get it off my chest. When I first got here, I had a bit of a crush on you. But I realized that you are with Mia, so I backed off. I thought I could be happy with Derek, but that didn't work out. I don't expect you to reciprocate the feelings, but I needed to get it off my chest."

"The feeling is actually returned," Victor said. "But I don't know what to do about Mia. I do like her a bit, but I also really like you."

"When you come back, maybe we can figure it out," Benji said. He then kissed Victor on the cheek and walked away. Victor then walked through the metal detector before going to his gate.  
\---  
That night, Victor found himself looking through his old family albums. Scrolling through his phone became boring, so he decided to get a blast from the past. He found a photo of his parent's on the night of their senior prom. His mom was ready to pop at any moment. They were both wearing blue since they decided to use their outfits as a gender reveal.

He turned the page, and he saw a photo of them at graduation. His mom was no longer pregnant. Victor was attached to her hip, and Simon had his arm around her. They were still in their caps and gowns. This was probably a few weeks before the accident.

He closed the book as he felt his phone vibrate. He picked it up and saw that he had a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: I know you blocked me. This is Veronica. I want you to know that I'm going to win the court case. That is inevitable. We will get as much dirt as we need on Bram, even if he is sent to jail. Prepare for the inevitable.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! I just wanted to say that the discord server is almost ready. I'm just picking out my moderators who will help me run the server. I hope to have it ready by Saturday.

The first while of the court hearing went by slowly. It was mostly just shouting from Veronica's side, and Bram was just taking it. He kept his cool, even though Victor had a feeling it was hurting from the inside. He kept a stone face, but things she said would hurt anyone. Victor had to physically stop himself from getting up and hugging him.

Victor was standing outside of the courtroom after the hearing. Nancy Parker, the lawyer for Veronica, approached him. "Listen," she said. "It will eventually come down to your choice if Bram gets the approval. Do you really think your dad would want you to stay with someone who isn't your real family?"

"That would only happen if you guys win," Victor stated. They then went home shortly after that exchange. Victor was staying in his dad's old room. Something about sleeping in a recently passed relative's room felt eerie. He kept expecting something supernatural to happen, but it never did.

He noticed that his dad's old closet was open. He walked over to it and started to look through it. It was mostly empty other than a few old coats that his dad had grown out of years ago. Some of his mother's old clothes were also in there.

Something caught Victor's eye. It was a jean jacket with a bit of fluff around the collar. Something about the jacket drew it to him. He pulled it off the hanger and put it on. It kinda smelled like his father.

"That was your father's signature look when he was your age," a voice said. He turned around and saw his Aunt Nora. "He wore that throughout the entirety of high school. I'm surprised it got left here. It looks good on you. You should keep it. It looks good on you and he would want you to have it."

"Thanks," Victor said. "How are you and uncle Cal?"

"We're doing well," Nora said. "Of course we were both shaken by the recent events, but we're getting by. I regret not having called him in a while. The last time I spoke to him was at Christmas, and now he's gone."

Victor pulled his aunt in for a hug. "Thank you," Nora said. "I needed that."

"No problem," Victor said. They pulled away, and Nora stayed for a few minutes before leaving. Victor saw that he a text from Bram, informing him that his apartment had been approved by child protective services. 'One step closer,' Bram wrote. Victor fell asleep smiling that night.  
\---  
The next few days went by slowly. Friday was the court hearing. That was the day that, if Bram was approved, Victor would go back to New York with Bram as his official son. He hoped that, when it was official, he'd never have to hear from Veronica again.

Victor sat in the courtroom. He had left his phone in the car so he just sat there and didn't do a thing. Soon, the hearing began. "Good morning," the judge said. "In this hearing, we hope to finally have Victor Spier's custody figured out."

"I have been informed that most of the paperwork was done for Abraham Greenfeld to adopt Victor," the judge said. "And, after a thorough investigation, we have discovered that Mr. Greenfeld would be a subtle caregiver. But Spier also has living relatives. None the less, it has come down to Victor's decision. Spier, have you made your decision?"

"I have," Victor said. "I wish to live with Abraham Greenfeld."

"Ok," the judge said. "Do you, Abraham Greenfeld, wish to adopt Victor Spier, making you his legal guardian?"

"Yes," Bram said.

"And do you, Victor, accept this adoption?" the judge asked.

"Yes," Victor said.

"Ok," the judge said. "You two are officially a family. Be true in this union that makes you father and son."

Victor and Bram shared a hug. Victor had forgotten that he was wearing the jean jacket. He wondered if his dad knew about the jacket's importance. Victor felt a warmth, letting him know that Simon approved of this.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thanks for reading my story. This is probably one of my favorite AUs I have written(this statement includes the first book). Maybe one day I might write a third book, but I'd have to come up with a good story. It took me forever to come up with the plot of this one. Now, on with the chapter!

Victor and Bram flew back to New York the next day. Victor knew he had to have an important conversation with Mia, so he asked her to meet him at Brasstown. Mia was sitting at a table by the time he arrived. "Hey, Victor," she said.

"Hey, Mia," he said. He sat across from her. She had already ordered his usual drink, and she had her own. "How was staying with your grandparents? By the way, I like your new jacket. It fits you well."

"Thanks," Victor said. "Staying with my grandparents went well. The adoption actually went through. But I called you here because I needed to have a serious conversation with you, and I wanted you to hear it for me because I respect you, and I really like spending time with you."

"Ok," Mia said.

"I don't know how to say this," Victor said. "I like boys."

"Oh," Mia said.

"I don't want this to change our friendship," Victor said.

"It is, but not because you like guys," Mia said. "I think it might take a while for us to be able to get back to normal. I'm assuming that you probably want to end things."

Victor nodded. "Yeah, but just in a romantic sense," Victor said.

"Thank you for telling me," Mia said. They then shared a platonic hug and finished up their coffee. They said goodbye to each other before leaving the coffee shop. Victor decided he wasn't going to go straight home.

Victor walked to the nearest cemetery, which was the one he needed to go to. He walked through the cemetery until he found the gravestone he was looking for.

Here lies,

Simon Spier Greenfeld

November 17th-January 5th, 2020

Victor laid beside the gravestone. The body hadn't been buried here yet because the funeral hadn't happened yet. The body was still in the morgue. They hadn't had time to have a proper funeral with everything that happened during the past week, but they already had the gravestone placed in.

"I came out to Mia," Victor said. "She was pretty accepting. I'll probably talk with Benji tomorrow. I also found your old high school jacket. Do you want to be buried with it? Of course, you can't answer. Why did I say that?"

Victor never realized how tired he was. He always got decaf so the coffee wasn't doing anything to keep him awake. Victor tucked the jacket closer to him and slowly fell asleep.  
\---  
"Victor," a voice said. Victor quickly woke up. It was dark out, but Victor could tell that it was Benji. "There you are. We've been worried sick. You were supposed to be at Lake's two hours ago."

"I lost track of time," Victor murmured. Benji then saw what grave he was beside. He sat beside Victor and took his hand. "I told Mia. We're choosing to just be friends."

"I'm glad to have a good talk," Benji said. "And that you guys chose to have it early on. Bad things could have happened if you didn't go ahead and tell her the truth. But now you guys can go on and have a good friendship."

"Me too," Victor stated. "I didn't want to lose her as a friend."

Benji rested his head on Victor's shoulder. Victor leaned over and kissed his head. "This is a strange place for us to have our first romantic moment," Benj murmured. It was just the two of them in the graveyard. The groundskeeper hadn't arrived for their shift yet.

"I don't actually mind it though," Victor whispered.

"Me either," Benji said. They knew they were going to have to leave soon, but they just stayed there for a few moments and basked in the moonlight.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got a request for more Victor and Bram father/son moments, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Victor and Benji stayed at the cemetery for a few more minutes. They called a cab because neither of them could drive. "Thanks for showing up," Victor said. "I would have probably spent the entire night out there if it wasn't for you."

"No problem," Benji said. "When I realized you didn't arrive, I had a hunch that you would be there. I remember you saying something about this is where your dad was going to be buried."

"Well, your hunch was correct," Victor said. They then arrived at the apartment building. "I'll see you at school."

"See ya," Benji said. He then climbed out of the car and entered the building. He clicked on the bottom for the floor his place was on. He stepped off the elevator at his stop, and he walked to his apartment. Once the apartment door was open, he saw his dad was sitting on the couch.

"Hey, dad," Victor said.

"Hey," Bram said. Even though he still had his calm demeanor, worry covered the entirety of Bram's face. "Where have you been? We've been worried sick."

"Sorry," Victor said. "I went to visit the cemetery, and I fell asleep. Benji found me and took me home."

"I'm glad you're ok," Bram said. They then shared a brief hug. Victor led Bram to the couch, and they sat down, Victor knowing he needed to have an important conversation. He knew in reality, he had nothing to worry about, but he still had a bit of anxiety in him.

"I, um, need to talk to you about something," Victor said.

"Ok," Bram said.

"So I broke things off with Mia," Victor explained. "I wasn't looking forward to it, but it needed to be done. When Benji moved to my school, I experienced something I never have. I really that I was liked him. More than just as a friend. I don't know if I'm ready to put a label on it, but I know I really like Benji."

Bram nodded as he pulled Victor in for a hug. Victor rested his head on Bram's shoulder. Bram gently rubbed his back. "That is perfectly fine," Bram said. "I'm glad that you found someone that you really like. I know discovering your sexuality can be a strange time, and it might take years. But the journey will be worth it in the end."

"Thanks for listening and being here for it," Victor said.

"No problem," Bram whispered.  
\---  
The funeral was the next Saturday. It was held at a small chapel near the graveyard. Only close friends and family were invited. A few of Simon's high school friends came in town for it, and even some of Bram's immediate family.

As Victor exited the cemetery, he saw Benji was leaning against the fence that held the graveyard. "You came?" Victor asked.

"Yeah, I didn't come to the service because I felt like that would be intruding, but I was wondering if you would like to get dinner with me," Benji invited. "Just the two of us. My treat."

"I would love that, but everyone is coming over for dinner at our place tonight," Victor said. "You're more than welcomed to join us. We're going to have plenty of food. After gatherings like these, we always have a bunch of leftovers."

"You sure I wouldn't be intruding?" Benji asked.

"I'm sure," Victor said. Everyone then headed over to Bram's apartment separately. Benji blended into the crowd, so no one noticed the extra face. By the time they arrived there, the food was already ready.

Victor and Benji sat on the balcony. Everyone else was inside, and they wanted some privacy. "I'm pretty sure Derek is still not over the breakup," Benji said. "He keeps posting sad things about breakups on his Snapchat."

"I mean you're a catch so I can see why," Victor said. They then went back to eating dinner in silence. Once they were done, Benji reached for Victor's hand. Victor took it slowly.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Valentine's Day dance with me?" Benji asked. "I've never been to a school dance before, but I heard that they're actually pretty fun."

"Of course," Victor said. "I would really like to go to the dance with you. School dances are a little overrated, but everyone should at least go to one in their school career. People say that's where all of the drama would go down, but I would know nothing about that."

Benji nodded and puts his plate down. They became caught up in the moment and Victor leaned in and kissed him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sick for the past twenty-four hours, but something good came out of it. I came up with an idea for a third book, so you guys won't have to wait so long for that one. It should be coming out soon. Now on with the chapters!

Victor was enjoying the pride parade with his boyfriend, friends, and family. They sat on their blankets and watched the parade. Benji touched the top of Victor's fingers with the palm of his hand. Victor smiled softly at his partner.

"So Mia, where is your boyfriend?" Lake asked. Near the end of the school year, Mia had started seeing Andrew Spencer. He was on the basketball team and was known for being kind of being a douche.

"He's at basketball camp this week," Mia said.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to try out for the basketball team, Victor?" Benji asked.

"Yeah, but it didn't work out this year," Victor said. Since he missed about two weeks of school around the time of the trail, he had a lot of schoolwork he had to make up. Since that took up a lot of his time so he could move to tenth grade, he didn't have time to tryout. "Maybe next year."

Benji nodded before looking at Victor in the eyes. "Victor I," Benji said. He thought about what he was going to say for a moment, but he stopped himself from saying what he was originally going to say. "I really like you."

"I really like you too," Victor said. He rested his head on Benji's shoulder. One day, Benji hoped he would have the courage to say what he really wanted to say.


End file.
